KD Johnson and Jaylin Williams achieved the 1,000-point milestone each in Auburn’s recent game. They aim to contribute to the Tigers’ success in their upcoming nonconference matchup against Chattanooga on Saturday night. Johnson only needed five points to reach the milestone during Auburn’s 82-62 victory over Alabama State on Dec. 22, achieving it with a 3-pointer in the first half.
Williams, trailing by 17 points, reached the milestone just over seven minutes before the game ended with a transition layup. Tigers coach Bruce Pearl praised Williams for his outstanding performance on both ends of the floor, emphasizing his consistency in the past few weeks. Pearl also commended Johnson for his scoring and energy contribution at the start of the first half.
Auburn, with a current record of 9-2, has secured four consecutive wins since their upset loss to Appalachian State on Dec. 3. Their average margin of victory during this stretch has been 22.3 points. Center Johni Broome, averaging 14.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.7 blocked shots this season, played a crucial role with 16 points and 13 rebounds against Alabama State.
On the other hand, Chattanooga (8-4) is coming off an 85-83 overtime loss to Milwaukee on Dec. 22. Despite overcoming a 10-point halftime deficit and forcing overtime with Tyler Millin’s 3-pointer, they couldn’t bridge the gap due to a significant discrepancy in free-throw attempts (37-13). Chattanooga coach Dan Earl acknowledged the team’s need to avoid starting slow and digging themselves into a hole.
Trey Bonham, who recently became eligible and transferred from Florida, leads Chattanooga in scoring with 18 points per game in just three appearances, contributing 25 points in the last game. Four other teammates are also scoring in double figures. The teams have a history of four meetings, with Chattanooga winning the last matchup 87-75 on Dec. 29, 1991.
